Page Eight

Minister Clyde Derrick

Bible Studies
Week 1: A life time in church and still a babe
Week 2: This body is temporary
Week 3: Be honored by God not men
Week 4: Saints judge by the spirit

Hebrews 5:12

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
6:1. Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfections not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God. 6:2. of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

6:10 - For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward his name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

Understanding:
The writer suggest that talking about baptisms, laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment is elementary. In 6:10, he stresses that being able to minister to others is the measuring stick for being on solid food. On the other end of this measuring stick if you aren't spreading the word of God you are still on milk.

A lot of people have been in church their entire lives and still don't feel like they can, and never do minister to strangers. So here we see who is a babe and who is mature in the spirit. The babe keeps silent while the mature Christian spreads the word of God. Which one are you.

II Corinthians 5:1

For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

5:6 - so we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7. for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8. we are confident, yes, well please rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. 9. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to him. 10. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Understanding
We all die one day and this body, this tent turns to dirt again. The writer is saying when the tent is gone we are with the Lord but while we have the tent we are not in the presence of the Lord. He's saying he would rather be in the presence of the Lord, (does not love this life more than life with the Lord). But knowing that one day when out of the tent and in the presence of the Lord we will be judged, we must do the work of living by God's rules and spreading the gospel.

John 5:43

I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. 44. How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?

Understanding
Jesus is saying, bringing it to modern day, the church is very good at accepting ministers who are celebrated by the "Christian community," but not very good at accepting an anointed man of God. Jesus seems to be putting forth a measure stick. He's saying that a man from God is only concerned with honor from God while a man that is concerned with honor from men is concerned about with receiving honor from men for his earthly praise.

This is very interesting to me today because I have been going through a phase of getting respect from members of the church of my birth. I've been seeking honor from them when really what I should be doing is just concentrating on the job of spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ and if no one ever acknowledges me and my calling, oh well, as long as I have honor from God, that's all that matters.

I Corinthians 5:12

For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13. But those who are outside God judges. Therefore put away from yourselves the evil person.

Understanding
You always heard the law thou salt not judge, but that has to do with judging to condemnation. Here we are talking about judging the character and spirit of the person. God judges all based on their actions in life, good or bad, but we as saints can judge the fruit of a person claiming membership in the body of Christ. If we see their fruits are not of God then it is of the enemy. We should first offer correction under God's grace. If they don't fall under God's mercy and take advantage of his grace then restore that person. If they don't, you have a right to put them away from the body.